Improvement in methods of stamping cigars with revenue-stamps



' W. D. OGONN'OR. Method of Stamping Cigars withRevenue Stamps.

' bio/205,127. Patented June I8, 1878.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM D. OCONNOR, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN METHODS OF STAMPING CIGARS WITH REVENUE-STAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 205,127, dated June 18,1878 application filed May 8, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. OCONNOR, of Washington, District, ofColumbia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in theMethods and Means for Stamping Oigars with Revenue-Stamps, of which thefollowing is a specification:

Attempts have heretofore been made to apply stamps to cigars themselvesin contradistinction to applying the same to boxes containing thecigars.

A stamp in the form of a fillet ortube has been suggested to encirclethe cigar. It has also been suggested to bind the stamp to the cigar bymeans of the cigar-wrapper. These plans, however, are open to objectionson various scores. The latter plan is applicable only in the process ofmanufacture of the cigar, and consequently cannot be applied to Theformer plan permits the stamped fillet to be easily removed, unless itis so made as to be expensive and troublesome to apply; and,furthermore, it, too, cannot be applied to cigars in bundles, asimported cigars generally are. The bundles must be broken, and thecigars composing any one bundle separated and taken apart before thestamps can be applied. This is a serious and indeed quite insurmountableobjection, because imported cigars are generally in bundles, and are sotightly put together that each has its particular shape and place in thebundle, and consequently when they are once disturbed it is difl'icult,if not impossible, to put them properly together again.

It has also been proposed to line the cigarbox with stamped paper withthe ends of the cigars stuck thereto in such manner that the paper willbe destroyed in removing the cigars; but this plan is defective, in thatit is by no means certain that all the cigars will adhere to the paper;and, further, no provision is made for stamping individual cigars whichwill permit sales of small quantities less than a box, or which willadmit of cigars being exposed for sale in any other place than the boxwhich contains the stamped paper.

The plan which I have adopted is open to none of the objections aboverecited. My method of procedure is to provide a stamp, preferably ofdisk form, and of a size to fit the cut end of the cigar. It is, infact, a waferlike stamp, which is affixed to the cut end of the cigar. Istamp each individual cigar with its own stamp, thus avoiding theobjection to stamping cigars in bulk with one common stamp, and thestamp is so formed that it may be applied to each cigar in bundle,without necessitating breaking or taking apart the bundle.

The stamps are printed upon paper or other material, and are to beissued in sheets perforated for the purpose of separation after themanner of postage-stamps, and sold in this form by the government to thecigar-manufacturer. The sheets should be prepared with adhesivesubstance, as sheets of postage'stamps are.

In applying the stamp, the ends of the cigars also should be touchedwith adhesive substance, with a view to securing a perfect mutuality ofadhesion between the cigar and the stamp.

When the cigar thus stamped is lighted the stamp is instantly destroyed.

In the accompanying drawing is represented a cigar stampedin accordancewith my invention.

A is the cigar, and B the stamp.

Having described my invention, I shall state my claim, as follows:

The method herein described of applying revenuestamps, of the form andconstruction described, to cigars, by affixing a separate and distinctstamp to the cut end of each individual cigar, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 7th dayof May, 1878.

W. D. OCONNOR.

Witnesses:

M. GEORGES, M. BAILEY.

